Late evening and sake
by ladyquinte
Summary: Marco spent his night drinking with Izo. Talking about remembering someone in their past (decades ago). The family gets gossipy tho.
1. Ver 1

The usual late evening in Moby. Some people are still awake for their watch turn, some are just drinking, laughing, and talking. Though, the voice doesn't do as much noise as it is in the day (the sound of the sea seems to always be louder at night). Marco just finished his watch turn and is about to head back to his room.

__Be the first division commander they said…__

__It'll do good for your reputation they said…__

Yet all Marco got, other than pretty much final decision on every menial things, is his piling paperworks.

Pardon him for being responsible and make sure their expenditure this month is balanced.

__Also, you're welcome. I just avoid us some catasthropic storms since I got us much safer route to navigate for our destination.__

Marco sighs.

This job ages him (it does not, not really, his phoenix make sure he rejuvenates).

That is before he saw a certain person sitting by himself in more secluded part of the deck. Normally, he would ignore this. Well, with number of their family members, there bound to be one or dozen people sulking by himself every once and then. He however, does recognizes the person with the tell-tale kimono and geisha hairdo.

.

Steps, stable ones, Izo reads.

__Someone's approaching.__

__And by the stride of it, the person would be no other then their vice-cap..__

"Marco." Izo nods without looking at the fellow commander.

"Can't sleep?" Marco responded.

"Not really." Izo looks at the phoenix man. The crossdresser man considers (for approximately five seconds long), and then decides that he would not shoo the person away.

"Have a sit." He offered, making a space on the crate he is sitting on for Marco. The crate is thankfully big enough for them to make it not awkward.

(No, he won't be seen sitting all pressed around Marco in whatever context one might suggest in regards of this situation)

"And have a drink." he said again, because apparently he is feeling generous tonight.

Marco looks at him with that bored expression that will deceive anybody who doesn't know him. Izo knew him long enough to see confusion and big 'why?' in those half-lid eyes.

"Because I feel like it."

"Okay."

Marco accepts sake that Izo poured for him.

Izo nods. He puts the bottle down and continues staring at the sea, thinly smiles when he heard soft exclamation of his company.

"This is good sake, __yoi__."

"Best." Izo corrected.

"Okay. Thank you, __yoi__."

"You're welcome."

Marco puts the cup down. "And I don't suppose you're here just because you're feeling like it too?"

"Why you ask?"

"The same reason why I am here, __yoi__."

Izo snorts, tho there is no malice in there. He lets Marco, may as well telling him the matter. It's not like he is not familiar with the person. The reason he is drinking by himself the best sake he could get from their last island escapades.

(Not that he can't buy it from coo's ads. He doesn't really trust them!)

"It's anniversary."

"Then why doing it alone?"

Izo looks at Marco. "Because it is death anniversary."

"Ah."

Marco nods. He stares at the beautiful commander, then reaching for the bottle to pour another cup for himself. Izo lets him.

"Is it today?"

The question is answered by a thin smile.

Marco looks at Izo for quite while, before looking away and stares at the sea too.

"He is a good man."

Izo hums.

(He reaches for his bottle to pour for himself too)

.

The next day, the (cheap) gossip has it that Marco and Izo spent the night together in the deck. Izo successfully caught the culprit behind the obviously misleading story and sent them to kitchen for dishes duty the day after.

Before that happened tho, Marco feels a lot of eyes on him (not the judging kind but the typical gossipy kind), and then he has Ace's jaw fallen on the floor too.

Marco sighs.

.

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A/N. Before this version, I have another which is pretty much more serious? I put it on second chapter, altogether with A/N that follows. Also it'll become evident on the identity of person they drank sake for. Though anyone reading the latest One Piece will surely know. Anyway, thank you for reading ^^ I wish you have a good time.


	2. ver 2

A/N. This fic is inspired by one fanart I found in pixiv. I'll put the link on A/N once I found it.

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Late evening, Moby has gone to it's quieter side. Some people are still awake: they do their watch time while the others are just lounging around. Drinking, singing, and talking. Marco just finished his watching turn and is about to go back to his room. There are still paper chores need working and it was his initial intention to finish it before the week ends. He still has two days.

Some of his brothers greet him and the others nod with acknowledgement. He smiles. They're in good mood. They just left one of their islands which explain the good stuffs now fully loaded in Moby. Good liquors, good supplies, and good foods ensure pretty much good mood and that means good sailing. He likes the idea of peaceful trip (that, until the sea decides to try them out with a storm or another natural phenomena). Not much of brawl, light fights (no, meeting Admiral is not as fun as it may sounds), good weather won't hurt too.

That daydreaming in the middle of night, until a sudden attack (kinda? He doesn't feel any murder intent tho?) of an arm keeping him from his route to the dear room. He belatedly recognizes the clothing of his attacker who drags him not so delicately back to the deck. A pink kimono.

"Izo?"

The crossdresser hums his acknowledgment but doesn't say a thing. Marco studies his face for a while, looking for a tell, and finding a very serious expression (yet very distant, is that a sadness?) of the 16th commander. This could only mean one thing.

"Ah, it's the day already?" he said.

Izo hums again.

.

He met Izo thirty years ago when the later had followed his master with objective to prevent him getting out of the country (to go on adventure apparently). A fail attempt at that, as he eventually agreed to join the family (following his master's decision to stay). One thing led to another, to which his master joined as the temporary member of Roger's crew, while he decided to stay in the Whitebeard's.

Today, however, is not one of those days that bring Izo to be this grave serious: Marco in one arm and bottle of sake in another. Finding a rather secluded place in the deck, not that they're afraid to be bothered: their brother are good readers enough to recognize the air surrounding two commanders and won't attempt anything. Marco looks at the pensive expression of his company as he sets his sake cup.

"It's a good sake." Marco said, recognized the bottle as the one in the store he had intended to buy (yet apparently he was too late since the bottle had been reserved for someone, and he was not a low pirate to threaten the shopkeeper to give the bottle to him).

"Best." Izo corrected him. "Heard that you wanted it. How noble of you to let this one go."

"They told me that the one who reserved this intended to have it for anniversary."

"What an anniversary."

Marco smiles. He accepts the cup Izo poured for him. "Thank you."

The sake smells like honey. It is very sweet and deep in flavour, rich with flowery and fruity taste in the layers. A profile that you could find only in the highest quality one. Not the typical drink that pirates would buy, not for the classy-ness, but rather to the price of the good.

But tonight is special.

Only best sake would suffice to show the respect they have for the man they're commemorating now. Oden Kozuki.

Tonight is his death's anniversary and the family is mourning for him. The ones who knew him of course (it had been 30 years! And they had had a lot of new members after then). Marco did not quite know as to why Izo chose him to be his company to do this every year. Because as far as he knew half of commander was also there when Oden joined them (Jozu, Vista, etc). But then one night years ago Izo told him why.

_"___Well, for one, you were there."__

_"___So are Jozu, Vista, and the others."__

_"___Right. But you are his joy. He sought you for stories, islands you've been explored, and how the hell you pirate could navigate through those oceans. Only you can tell him such things."__

_"___Because I am a navigator."__

_"___Because you were THE navigator."__

Marco accepts another cup from Izo and lets himself (and worries) drown in that sweetness and honey aroma. Chores could wait. Izo however, would kill him if he dares as much as to leave and disrespect his master (not that he would. Just like Izo, he liked the man and had great respect for him). He smiles, and returns the cup back to Izo, who pours for himself without so much words. Just like that… they enjoy the sake while remembering all the good times and joy coming from a certain man. Under the twinkling stars and very very much peaceful sea.

.

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A/N. Okay, pardon me if I get the year wrong. I just kinda have a rough estimation? Some webs helped me gave reference but I am still not sure. Also I don't know what sake tastes like? I haven't had any :) and use some materials as reference. Another disclaimer (I am sorry I have so many things to disclaim) about Marco being the navigator? He couldn't be. Navigator apprentice maybe but not yet a full-fledged one. I just find it weird to put 'navigator apprentice' in their lines. So, that's why.

Also, I swear I only want a short one-shot, probably drabble of Marco and Izo drink sake together at night like an old friend because they had been together for the longest time (not longer than Vista and Jozu tho). And Marco did pulled Izo from water at that time. Hence…


End file.
